More deployments

[ZH875]

It's a good job Afghanistan has ended.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31147236

The UK will play a lead role in a "high readiness" Nato force that will be established in Eastern Europe, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced.

Britain will send up to 1,000 troops and four RAF Typhoon jets for "air policing" in the region, he said.

The multinational force is the biggest reinforcement of Nato's collective defence since the end of the Cold War.

[langleybaston]

rebuilding the ARRC, but more like a rowing boat, methinks.

[air pig]

Important point in these times of austerity, who is paying?

[gr4techie]

4 jets? Bet the Russians must be s***ing themselves.

[salad-dodger]

Yep, pretty pathetic isn't it? The pitiful number of aircraft sends its own message.

4 jets in the SA, 4 jets in Cyprus, 4 to Eastern Europe. That must be us nearing our limit now.

I wonder, when was the last time we deployed a full fast jet squadron?

S-D

[just another jocky]

At this stage, it is being seen to be doing something, making a statement.

This will become serious when several squadrons of F22s are deployed.

That's when we should stock up our cold-war shelters.

[salad-dodger]

The F22 isn't sent anywhere dangerous is it, lest it's secrets should be lost.

S-D

[downsizer]

Erm, full Sqn on shader S-D, as there was on Herrick.

[Frostchamber]

The PM has pointed out that what we don't need is pointy jets, so no need for concern.

[Wrathmonk]

Britain will send ...... four RAF ..... jets for "air policing" in the region

As it did previously in 2004 (Tornado F3) and 2014 (Typhoon) as part of a long term NATO support to the Baltic Air Policing mission [see here - wiki link was easiest!]

I suspect the troop aspects is the Army attempting to make themselves indispensable come the next SDSR. As for the high-readiness force will this not just sit as a role for the high readiness elements of the ABTF?

Smoke and mirrors.....

[NutLoose]

Air pig, funny you mentioned money, this sums it up

Money Talks In Battle To Destroy Islamic State

[Pontius Navigator]

Will they have single rooms in the hotel?

[Could be the last?]

Isn't this (rapid reaction force) a similar principle to what was AMF, except now we have less to do it with..................

[Hangarshuffle]

Easy to escalate to war.

Truly hope all this can be de-escalated. I've never regarded the average Russian as an enemy, more of a long suffering, but very tough race of people we do best to avoid in a fight.
Leave the east to the east and please keep the trouble well away from our small island.

[salad-dodger]

Erm, full Sqn on shader S-D, as there was on Herrick.

Thanks downsizer. I understood that there were 8 aircraft in Cyprus. From open sources, I'm on the outside now. Is that really what constitutes a fast jet squadron now though, just 8 aircraft?

If so that makes our pitiful number of fast jet squadrons even worse.

S-D

[Melchett01]

Salad-dodger,

Probably best you don't ask how many are war-goers then!

[TheWizard]

Afghanistan has ended??

Maybe for some!!

[Heathrow Harry]

we're probably providing the Twitter feed...............